Dr. Sanjay Gupta: “I Am Doubling Down On Medical Marijuana”

CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is “doubling down” in his advocacy for patients to have legal access to cannabis as a therapeutic agent.

In a commentary featured on the CNN website today, Gupta writes: “I am more convinced than ever that it is irresponsible to not provide the best care we can, care that often may involve marijuana. I am not backing down on medical marijuana; I am doubling down.”

Last August, Gupta authored a commentary apologizing for his past opposition to medical cannabis, stating, “We have been terribly and systematically misled for nearly 70 years in the United States (in regards to cannabis), and I apologize for my own role in that.”

In today’s editorial, Gupta acknowledges, “Marijuana is classified as a Schedule I substance, defined as (one of) the most dangerous drugs with no currently accepted medical use. Neither of those statements has ever been factual.”

He criticizes President Obama for acknowledging that cannabis poses less harm than alcohol while failing “to remove marijuana from the list of the most tightly controlled substances in the country.” Dr. Gupta also questions how the US government can possess a patent on the therapeutic application of cannabinoids yet still deny that the compounds possess medical utility.

Ultimately, cannabis prohibition is a “Draconian system where politics override science,” Gupta concludes.

Isn’t there some way to argue that exact point about the patent the US holds. How can they have it both ways? How is it possible to continue listing it as Schedule 1 when the patent is for the therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids? In all honesty, you should be able to argue against the 1937 tax act which made it illegal in the first place. The minute the word ”darkie” is used in reference to a person and as an argument against cannabis in government hearings, the whole law needs removing. Google Harry Anslinger and the 1937 marijuana tax act, you’ll be able to find transcripts from this hearing and its criminal what happened. Citing only sensationalized newspaper ads, Anslinger lied to everyone. When a doctor, asked to testify, questioned the way the proceedings were being handled and said what congress was doing was wrong, he was ignored and the bill passed anyway. There is no scientific proof to any of the claims made in the hearings, marijuana wasn’t even a word until Anslinger took a Mexiccan slang word and used it to describe hemp AND cannabis. In fact, science has repeatedly disproven most dangerous claims and proven many benefits. The Declaration of Independence is written on hemp paper for crying out loud. Start writing your politicians, sign the petitions on change.org, do some research and get edumacated about what is really going down, its our biggest asset in this challenge. The more we can show people that cannabis users are just like everyone else and legalization is not the apocalypse, the better off we’ll all be.

I have the utmost respect for this man. He is the first the publicly change his opinion about marijuana and graciously apologize. Then start a campaign to get it legalized. Dr. Gupta has courage and fortitude.

Wow, now you’re starting to impress me Dr. Gupta! I’m so glad you’re looking further into these issues. There are so many layers to the lies and misdirection on this subject for years and years. The government insisted for so long that marijuana is a “gateway drug”, which is only true because marijuana is illegal and therefore often available from the same folks selling hard drugs that do a lot of damage to people. The Law itself has created this “Gateway”. Take away the dumb law and you also remove the “gateway” itself. The more people hear this message, the sooner marijuana is seen in and thus used for more positive ends.

He is right of course but it is nice to hear it from someone who has the ear of the public not just a cannabis activist. I think if you are involved with healthcare the time has come to change to a positive attitude towards cannabis otherwise you are just going to look stupid in the next few years. Or even worse you could be accused of negligence by not providing your patients with the best healthcare available (it could happen)